Jan 22

Jan 22 Photographic Alphabet: C is for Christine Carr

“In the Air”

For this project I photographed a variety of instances in which often unhealthy emissions are ejected into the air. These include byproducts of transportation, celebration, energy production or food growth and preparation. This is not a local problem; particles can travel a few feet, a few miles or circle the earth. They can rise up into the stratosphere and fall back down to the troposphere.

Air seems invisible, however it is a thriving ecosystem teeming with solids, liquids and gases. When enough small particles accumulate they become momentarily visible in smoke, smog, spray and dust plumes and the residue can be seen on surfaces and filters. Despite their tiny size and seeming invisibility, they can have serious repercussions including respiratory problems and death.

With this work I am thinking about what goes into the air, where it travels, and the impact it has. I am curious about protections that are in place, ones that are needed and ones that are being removed. We breathe in almost 3,000 gallons of air daily so it is in our best interest that it is as clean as possible. The goals of this project are to bring attention to this issue, to make the invisible visible and to make the ephemeral permanent.”

Christine Carr grew up in Virginia and received her MFA from the Tyler School of Art, her BFA from the Corcoran College of Art and Design and her AAS from the Tidewater Community College Visual Arts Center. She uses digital and film photography to explore the human existence in and impact on the environment. Her work is rooted in issues of pollution and climate change with a focus on the ephemeral nature of airborne particles and the evocative nature of light.